Sauber has announced a multi-year power unit supply deal with Honda, starting from the 2018 Formula 1 season.
It brings to an end the second long-term relationship between Sauber and Ferrari, the companies having linked up following BMW's exit at the end of 2009, having also been aligned between 1997 and 2005.
Following on from speculation over Sauber’s future plans regarding engine supply, it has now confirmed the switch to Honda, which returned to Formula 1 as McLaren's exclusive supplier in 2015.
Sauber describes it as 'extensive strategic and technological realignment', joining McLaren as a Honda-supplied team.
“It is a great honour for Sauber to be able to work together with Honda in the coming seasons,” team boss Monisha Kaltenborn said.
“Our realignment is not just visible through the new ownership but also now with our new technological partnership with Honda.
“We have set another milestone with this new engine era, which we await with huge excitement and of course we are looking for new opportunities.
“We very much look forward to our partnership with Honda, which sets the course for a successful future – from a strategic as well as from a technological perspective.”
Honda chief Katsuhide Moriyama welcomed the move and also ended speculation over the future of the McLaren/Honda partnership.
"In addition to the partnership with McLaren which began in 2015, Honda will begin supplying power units to Sauber as a customer team starting from next year," he said.
“This will be a new challenge in Honda’s F1 activities. In order to leverage the benefits of supplying to two teams to the maximum extent, we will strengthen the systems and capabilities of both of our two development operations, namely HRD Sakura and the operation in Milton Keynes.
“We will continue our challenges so that our fans will enjoy seeing a Honda with dominant strength as soon as possible.”
Honda has struggled since its return to Formula 1 with McLaren in 2015, with its current campaign with McLaren hindered by unreliability and underperformance.
McLaren took to social media to welcome the news, commenting: "[It's] great news for the team and a chance to double the R&D opportunity from 2018."
The last time Honda supplied two teams came in 2008, when it powered its own manufacturer team, alongside customer Super Aguri, which folded early in the season, before the Japanese firm pulled the plug on its Formula 1 programme at the end of that campaign.
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